This invention relates to a dispensing top for a container and, more specifically, to a dispensing top which enables measured amounts of fish food to be dispensed from the container.
Food for aquarium fish is typically dispensed directly into an aquarium tank because people do not like to touch fish food with their fingers since it can contaminate the food or leave residue on their hands. However, pouring food directly out of the container into the aquarium tank does not work well since it is impossible to correctly control the amount of food going into the tank. Controlling the amount of food is critical for proper maintenance of the fish.
Various dispensing means for an aquarium fish food container have been proposed which allow a fixed amount of food to be taken out of the container without touching the food. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,657,802, discloses a one touch opening plug which includes a detachable spoon. Although the plug disclosed in this patent allows food to be taken out of the container and measured without touching the food, dispensing of the food into a detached spoon does not allow for precise measuring of the amount of food and is not convenient.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,894,965 discloses a measuring dispensing cap with a spring biased flip top which enables accurately measured amounts of granular or particulate container contents to be dispensed from the cap. Although such measuring dispensing cap could theoretically be used to dispense fish food from an aquarium fish food container, the cap has a relatively complex structure and is not useful from a practical standpoint.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a measuring dispensing top for an aquarium fish food container that enables an accurate amount of fish food to be measured into and dispensed from the top without touching the food and is simple and inexpensive to manufacture.
According to the present invention, this and other objects are accomplished by a measuring dispensing top for an aquarium fish food container which includes a substantially planar base having a top side and a bottom side and having an opening defining an open portion and having a closed portion adjacent the open portion; a peripheral skirt depending from the bottom side of the base for attachment to the container; a peripheral side wall on the top side of the base and enclosing at least a part of the closed portion of the base and a part of the open portion of the base; a flip top pivotably mounted in the side wall and movable between a first closed position which cooperates with the closed portion and closes the container and a second open position which opens the container into the top; and a cover slidable in the side wall between a first closing position at which the cover together with the side wall and closed portion of the base and the flip top in its first closed position define a measuring chamber and at which the flip top can be moved to its second open position, and a second opening position at which the cover locks the flip top in its first closed position and opens the measuring chamber for dispensing of the container contents.
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the sliding cover is transparent and provides a visual control of the amount of food measured into the top and dispensed by the hobbyist.